Spiritually Formed

It's normal to want our kids to be happy...but what if the goal of "happiness" is robbing us and our kids of something better? Happiness is good, but it's fragile and circumstantial. Joy, on the other hand, is lasting, and is something that we can choose even when life gets hard. Join Brian and Katie as they discuss the difference between happiness and joy, and why loving our kids well requires th...

Sometimes the nice things we do for our kids are, in all seriousness, very unkind. Love is kind, and kindness is motivated by what you can do for the good of someone else. Niceness, on the other hand, does not typically regard what is good for someone else, and is more selfishly motivated. Join Brian and Katie as they talk about what they believe to be simultaneously one of the nicest and most unk...

Jesus was many things, but nice wasn't necessarily one of them. He was, however, the embodiment of kindness. The terms "kind" and "nice" are often used interchangeably, but they're often, in practice, opposite of one another. Kindness is an expression of love that, by nature, regards the good and wellbeing of others. It is doing what is good for somebody else without an ulterior motive. Niceness,...

Love is many things, but passive is not one of them. God disciplines those that He loves, and in the interest of trying to become the best parents we can be for the sake of our kids, we're actively learning how to discipline well. Discipline, as opposed to punishment, considers the long-term goals and ramifications of different forms of correction, and involves instructing, equipping, and empoweri...

In light of our previous episode, which is all about the necessity of forgiving our fathers for any ways that they weren't who we needed them to be, we thought it would be helpful to talk a little bit about what forgiveness is and what it isn't. Join us on this episode as we bring some clarity to what forgiveness is and is not, in the interest of helping our listeners experience the freedom that c...

In this episode, Brian and Katie discuss six different father types, and talk about the importance of forgiving our fathers for any ways that they weren't who we needed them to be in the interest of experiencing healing, freedom, and restoring our view of God.

Everything in our lives has the potential to influence what we think about God and the quality of His character. Everybody faces their own set of circumstances in life, and the challenge for us is to develop an unwavering belief that God is good, even when life is not. While our beliefs about God are formed throughout our lifetime, there's a subconscious tendency that people who believe in the exi...

Raising kids is tough. They have both a mind and a will of their own, and when they don't do exactly what we want, it's easy to react with anger. The temptation for parents is to assume that our anger gives us power in our relationship, which is a fallacy, because true power doesn't look like controlling others, but controlling ourselves. Join Brian and Katie as they expose the lie that anger is p...

If something you believe is untrue, would you want to know? In our relationships with others, and most likely with our kids, there are a few lies that we can easily fall into the trap of believing. It may not happen on a conscious level, but our beliefs have a way of showing up in the way we behave. So, if you have the fruit, you have the root. Join Brian and Katie as they discuss the commonly bel...

The meaning of self-control is as profound as it is simple. With it we're able to choose how we'll think, feel, and act towards other people. Without it, other people will be able to choose how we'll think, feel, and act towards them. This week Brian and Katie Hess unpack the power of self-control, and how it brings with it the ability to love the way God loves.

Have you ever wondered why God created both the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil? In this episode, we explore the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, and take a biblical look at God’s design for relationship, freedom, and the human will—and how it all connects to the way we lead and love our kids. You’ll learn: • Why the existence of love requires the freedom to make a cho...

Words have power — not just emotionally, and spiritually, but neurologically. In this episode, we explore how the words we use impacts brain development, emotional connection, and relational safety. Whether you're a parent, spouse, educator, or friend, understanding the science of words can transform how you communicate and connect. In this episode we covered: • The forming of neural pathways • Ho...

The shift that needs to happen in the life of every Christian is from worship of self to worship of God. The values that the culture of the world is built upon are inwardly focused and selfish. By default, the world will teach you to be the lord of your own life and seek the fulfillment of your desires. The values of God's Kingdom, on the other hand, are outwardly focused, seeking to love and serv...

It's one thing to view Jesus as your Savior. It's another thing to view Him as your Lord. To accept Him as our Savior is to trust Him with what happens when we die. But to allow Him to be our Lord means trusting Him with what happens while we live. Join Brian and Katie Hess as they continue the conversation on both the importance and general lack of discipleship to Jesus in many churches and homes...

In many parts of the world, words like "Christian" and "disciple" have nearly lost their meaning. For countless believers, actively practicing the ways of Jesus is optional and typically reserved for the few "radical" Christians. But this mindset will only lead to a weak and powerless church consisting of people who believe in the existence of God while lacking love, power, and authority. In this...

Many sincere Christians quietly carry the same question: If Jesus has saved me, why do I still struggle with the same patterns, sins, and frustrations? In this episode of Spiritually Formed , Brian and Katie Hess explore why so many believers feel stuck between what the gospel promises and what they actually experience in their lives. Often the problem isn’t a lack of sincerity or desire for God—i...

Most of us are our own worst critics, often thinking of ourselves as flawed and unlovable. Before long, we begin to assume that God must agree with our self-evaluation. But is that actually true? In this episode, we how what we believe God thinks about us shapes our identity and our spiritual lives. When we assume that God is disappointed in us, our pursuit of change becomes driven by shame and in...

Whether you realize it or not, your mental image of God is shaping you. If you believe He is distant, you’ll become guarded. If you believe He is disappointed, you’ll strive for acceptance. If you believe He is good, you’ll learn to live at rest. In this episode of Spiritually Formed , Brian and Katie Hess explore how our vision of God drives our spiritual formation, the two primary ways we form b...

Spiritual formation is inevitable. Whether we realize it or not, our hearts and minds are being shaped every day by someone or something. The question is, who or what is forming you? In this episode, Brian and Katie Hess talk about what spiritual formation is and why it matters. They explore why transformation into the image of Jesus does not happen by accident, and why followers of Christ must be...